


There's Only You

by Isola_Caramella



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Day, F/M, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-07-26 16:09:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7580995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isola_Caramella/pseuds/Isola_Caramella
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Jamie is photographed leaving Brienne's house early one morning, she takes off for parts unknown forcing Jamie to bring their friends together to search for her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Jamie watched as the reporter peppered Brienne with questions, her face burning a furious shade of red. He could see her walls falling into place to protect herself and felt his stomach turn.

"Miss Tarth, how long has your relationship with Jamie Lannister been going on?" 

"Gods as if you could touch the fucking cow." Jamie heard Cersei spit out with such venom he could feel the disdain like a physical touch. He wanted to reach over and wrap his hands around her neck until she bruised. 

"I - Jaime and I are just friends sir." He could see how badly she wanted to physically getaway but instead she was going away in her mind. Settling on some point of happiness in her memory. Gods he needed to find her and fast. He sent another text message hoping she would respond.

"He must be an excellent friend to leave your house at such a peak morning hour." The prurient undertones the reporter conveying not lost on anyone watching, which by now was all of King's Landing if not all of Westeros. 

"It was my brother's Name Day sir," Brienne said with unshed tears turning her sapphire eyes into a troubled sea, "That is always an arduous day for me; if you'll please excuse me."

The reporter faded out and his colleagues in the studio came into focus with the scant details of Galladon's drowning and of Brienne's mother dying in childbirth losing her twin sisters as well. Jamie felt sick and could feel his stomach knotting in anger. How dare they expose her family like this? He'd buy the station and dismantle it piece by piece with his bare hands. 

He felt his phone vibrate and prayed to the gods he no longer believed in that it was Brienne. The gods could never be so good.

"Margaery, have you heard from her?" Jamie heard the desperation in his voice, felt the fear gripping his chest. 

"I haven't Jamie, I tried her cell and drove by the house but reporters are still camped out there. She didn't come to work this morning and she's not at Sansa's or Pod's. I don't know where else to look Jamie - I, GODS WHERE IS SHE?" He could hear something being thrown on the wall and knew Marg was just as frustrated. 

"We'll find her, we will. I - I have to find her." Jamie hung up with saying good bye. His ability to breath getting progressively difficult. 

"Jamie, Jamie, JAMIE!" Tywin yelled to get his eldest son's attention. "What are your plans for quelling this story? The longer the sharks smell blood the more they'll want to expose and bring up Aerys."

Jamie focused on his father for a brief moment but turned away to calm down; rash words would not effect his father and Jamie was too far gone to give him anything but. He felt his phone vibrate again and hit the accept button.

"Sansa please." He all but outright begged this time. The more he didn't hear from Brienne the worst the fear became.

"I'm so sorry Jamie, I haven't heard from her either. I'm sure she's okay. I called her father and he hasn't heard from her either. She's just hiding Jamie, she's not used to this like you are. We'll find her and make sure she knows we love her. Just breathe Jamie."

"You don't understand, she is not in a good place Sansa. I don't know what triggered her but she's shut down. I must find her."

"Jamie you don't think she'd hurt herself. Oh gods, I'm calling Jon, I have to go." Sansa disconnected much as he had with Margaery. 

He tried another text with his father and Cersei glaring daggers into him for the continued impudence. Finally he got a response.

Wench: Jamie I'm sorry for all of this. Please know I would never embarrass you intentionally. 

Jamie: Where are you?? Are you safe? And what's this shit about embarrassment? 

Wench: I'm okay. Just exhausted now. It's better if I'm away until this goes away. You shouldn't have to deal with this.

Jamie: Better for who precisely?

He waited ten minutes and realized no response was coming. His father and Cersei finally gave up their interrogation and left his office as he continued to ignore them in favor of staring at his phone. 

When his phone went off again it was a message from Tyrion 

Wine God: She's in Lorath. Flew into Braavos early this morning and took a ferry over to the island. I have a friend from Lorath and she's calling now to find out where she's staying. I booked your flight to Braavos and Peck is on the way for you. 

Jamie: Is she okay?

Wine God: Bronn reported no injuries. He's staying in Braavos until you get there. I'll be happy to hear you say the words now dear brother.

Jamie: What words Tyrion?

Wine God: "You were right Tyrion, I DO love Brienne" I'll take those for a start. :-)

Jamie: By the seven you're a smug little shit. 

Wine God: Was there ever any doubt? Go get your girl. 

Jamie sent out a group text to Margaery, Sansa and Pod to let them know Tyrion located Brienne and he was going to get her. He grabbed his keys and walked out of his office to meet Peck downstairs, missing the look of derision on Cersei's face.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaime heads to Lorath to find Brienne. We find out why he's been so scared.

Brienne was having the same dream again; waking up in Jaime's arms and feeling her back pressed against him as he held her against his chest.

"Hey."

"Jaime?" Brienne tried to get up, her heart racing in her chest causing her hands to shake.

"Expecting someone else?" 

"Wh- what are you doing here?" Brienne couldn't put her thoughts together fast enough. She remembered picking up the keys to the cottage and finally being able to fall asleep without a swarm of reporters camping out trying to get a picture or persuading her to give more than a few words on her perceived romantic relationship with Jaime. How hard had she been sleeping to not realize someone, especially him, had gotten into the cottage and then fallen asleep with her?

"You left and refused to speak to me. I've been scouring Westeros, Dorne and Essos for you for three days now and if it weren't for Tyrion I wouldn't even know where you'd run off to." 

"I did not run. I was just giving you time to sort this out. If I stayed in King's Landing the press wouldn't stop." Brienne turned to face Jaime seeing that it was still dark outside. 

"You left me Wench. And I don't know why." 

"Jaime, it was too much. It's one thing to be mocked by people I must see everyday. I don't see the need to subject myself to all of Westeros mocking me too. I know what I am and what I am not. No one truly believes we're in a relationship but it gives them reason enough to pry into your life." She saw something shift in his face and his eyes hardened into green ice, felt his breath ghost across her lips as he moved closer. 

Brienne felt her blush start in her chest and creep up to her hairline, thanking the Maiden that it was dark in the cottage and only the moon provided light enough to make out Jaime's chiseled jaw working back and forth attempting to stave off the riposte that was surely on his tongue. Breathing with Jaime so close was becoming more difficult and his hand kept clenching and unclenching on her hip. The rare times they fell asleep on her couch before she could scramble to bed came rushing back to her and her septa's warning to never let anyone see how ugly she is upon waking forcing her to look down. Hiding in plain sight.

"Don't fucking do that Brienne." Jaime growled at her. "Why can't you ever trust me? See me?" The clenching of his hand staid as he painfully gripped her hip. "Gods be good I can't do this anymore."

Brienne felt his lips crash against hers as he flipped her to press her into the mattress, settling between her thighs and fisting his hands in her hair. Brienne felt like she was falling into the sea and drowning; air was hard to come by and she couldn't think beyond Jaime pressed hard against her and his tongue sliding into her mouth as she gasped. One hand left her hair and made a slow journey down her neck and side until it started to tug off the shorts she slept in. Her hips lifted of their own accord to get the shorts off as quickly as possible. 

A surprise clap of thunder shook the cottage making the lamps rattle on the tables; it matched the storm racing in her stomach. Trembling hands held on to his shoulders to steady herself as his fingers found her wet and wanting, using his still stronger left hand to set a pace that would outdo any sea squall. The rains started in earnest then and Brienne was grateful for something to drown out the growing whimpers that climbed out of her throat.

"Gods...Jaime...gods..." 

A self-satisfied smirk broke out across his face and Brienne wanted nothing more than to hit him. She looked up at the ceiling to keep her own smile away and instead clenched her walls around his fingers keeping them from finishing their assault. 

"Gods wench..." He gasped, "don't...do...that." The smirk left his face, a dangerous glint taking its place as he moved up to his knees and pulled her down to rest in the middle of the bed. 

"Tell me no now Wench, I've waited for two years, I can wait longer."

"Two years Jaime? That's not possible." Brienne couldn't doubt that in this moment he inexplicably wanted her but two years was a stretch her mind refused to wrap around. He'd been too wrapped in Cersei and getting use back in his right hand after the accident. 

"It's possible but you're too bloody stubborn and pigheaded to see it. Everyone knows how much I love you except you." He stroked her inner thigh slowly with the back of his hand and watched as she shuddered. 

"Name one person, besides Tyrion."

"Your father, Sansa, Margaery, Ellaria, Pia, and now all of Westeros and possibly Essos if the Gods be good. Is it so bad to have people think you love me Wench? I was terrified when you left without saying. I thought you would hurt yourself again." Jaime's fear was palpable and Brienne had to look away. It had been a desperate act when the worst of her anxiety and depression hadn't been controlled properly on top of the vile wager Red Ronnet and Hyle Hunt had started. She'd thought herself weak when she woke up in Harrenhal, Jaime and Margaery at her side with drawn pale faces. She'd never seen Jaime cry, even after his accident and the months of therapy that followed. But in that room his silent tears were the loudest thing she heard. 

"Jaime I didn't mean to scare you, I'm sorry if that's the impression you had. I know how much you hate being tabloid fodder and this was my way of helping it to go away. No one is going to come here and I can still work just as well here as I can at home. Truly I'm sorry."

He pressed himself flush against her side and hooked his arm around her waist; kissing her neck. The tension rolling away from him; he'd never said how badly he was affected but she should have known, as arrogant and insouciant as Jaime liked to appear, he felt very deeply. 

"How long are you staying here?" 

"Two months? The semester ends in another month and then we break for the Long Night. Dad is going somewhere with his newest girlfriend and I can finish planning some new ideas I had for next semester. They've asked me to add a follow up course to the one I'm teaching now. I want to implement some of those ideas into next semester and see how the students respond and then build from there." 

"You're amazing. Will it just be at KLU? I'd think Stormlands would show interest too."

"Both, I'll have to call Tyrion for help. He'll be so happy we can work together on something else. Though this one will be less profitable." Brienne chuckled as she thought of their business venture to sell shirts along with Tyrion's wines. What started as a drunken jape had turned her into a business owner with successful tee shirts. 

"Ah yes 'I Drink Wine and Know Things' has been one of his favorite projects. Father glowered for days. I'll have to have Peck send me everything I need and pack up my office until we get back." 

"What? You don't mean to stay with me? Jaime you have to work." A peal of thunder rocked the cottage causing Brienne to jump slightly.

"Of course I'm staying. We haven't spent the Long Night apart in three years and we're not starting now."

"Okay. Jaime?"

"Hmm?"

"I never said you had to wait."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgive all mistakes as they are my own, this will go to someone for beta soon. Also all of this is being written from my phone and until I can get a new battery for my laptop (which is 7 years old and a dinosaur in technological time) I can't proofread as well as I want to. 
> 
> It was much harder for me to write Brienne, this took me a few weeks whereas Jaime took me hours.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little back story and father/son bonding for Tywin and Jaime

Jaime watched as Brienne paddled away from the shore in her kayak; strong arms making easy work of her morning exercise.

"Hey."

"How is she?" 

"Better than I expected. I - I didn't find anything." Jaime rubbed his eyes with shaking hands, trying to quell the fear he was fighting from rising in his chest. "She was asleep when I got here but we talked." 

"Just talked?" Margaery's knowing laugh came through loud and clear setting Jaime on edge.

"You don't know everything Tyrell. Have you talked to Sansa? I tried calling but the time difference is making it difficult."

"I'll call her. As long Brie is, gods, as long as she's okay. I kept thinking about Harrenhal." Margaery's voice was low and the sadness at those weeks in Harrenhal were at the surface for Jaime as well. "Olenna wants her to come for the Long Night, when are you planning on coming back?"

"Not for two months. In time for the spring semester. Peck is flying over with everything I can't access from my laptop, I'll have to take the ferry over to meet him."

"Gods why Lorath of all places? It's so bloody boring."

"No reporters," Jaime chuckled. "We can't even drive, bike rentals or carts. No cars allowed on the island. I'll have to put my manliness to the test and catch fish for dinner tonight. I'll save the market for when I ferry over to meet with Peck.

"Mother be merciful, please video this for our viewing pleasure."

"Never. Tyrion's glee is enough to make me reconsider even trying." 

"She really seems okay?"

"Yes."

"Much happier this morning I'm sure."

"Find one of the hells and jump Marg." Jaime disconnected and found a rock to sit on to wait for Brienne to finish. The cold snap of wind from the water chilling him as picked blades of grass to throw. It wouldn't get as cold on Lorath as it did in King's Landing but in the early morning the temperature still managed to rattle his teeth. 

It had taken years for them to get here, their initial tentative friendship marked with his personal brand of sarcasm and cutting japes. Cersei had finally been permanently excised from his bed and his heart but he'd handled it poorly lashing out at work and his then lumbering overly tall neighbor who never spoke to him. They'd been stuck in an elevator the first time he'd spoken to her, some jape about his beauty rendering the poor elevator into shock. Mirthless blue eyes turned on him causing his breath to catch. They were the only beautiful feature on a homely face with a nose that had been broken at least once. Well not the only beautiful thing now that Jaime had felt her lips against his skin, her lips were made for kissing. After that elevator ride he'd made sure to insult her every day until she finally spoke to him, he brought her Tyroshi take out that night and ate with her every night after much to her chagrin. Never truly believing he was sincere in his efforts at friendship. It had been just what he needed to reclaim himself, a friend who would call him on his shit but still cared for him. Cersei had only ever been good at telling him how unambitious and weak he was. Unless she needed to be fucked, then his lack of ambition to take a bigger role in Lannister Enterprises was never an issue. After his car accident had left his right hand scarred and weak, it was Brienne and Tyrion that made bearable. They'd never treated him any different and he never considered himself unlucky even with his hand and arm weakened and for a time useless.

The night he woke up from a dream of Brienne drowning, he'd been half out of his mind in love with her but afraid to admit it. He woke up in a cold daze and with a crushing sense of dread that he had to see her immediately. When she wouldn't answer the door his dread settled into a stone in the pit of his stomach, making use of the spare key he kept in his apartment, he found her on the couch. Realization didn't hit until he found the milk of the poppy pills on the table beside her and his world stopped. By the time the private ambulance arrived he'd managed to get in touch with Tyrion but he was at his winery in Qarth too far away to keep Jaime from breaking apart. The grim faces of the paramedics solidifying how very close he was to losing her. Tyrion used his connections to have them transported via helicopter to Harrenhal and one of their private treatment facilities. 

As Jaime sat in waiting room he prayed to each of the Seven, his throat rough and eyes red. He raged against them all until he fell to the floor with nothing left but his tears. That's how Tywin found him a few hours later, crumpled, broken and despondent. Brienne still unconscious and the doctors refusing him entry until she was no longer critical. He wasn't sure what time it was anymore, his concentration only good for drawing up memories of Brienne. 

"Jaime." Tywin's usual look of scorn and derision was replaced with what could be described as concern but his stoicism made it hard to decipher. 

"They won't tell me anything. She could be dead and they won't tell me. What are you doing here?"

"Tyrion called; he sounded much like you look. I could only assume it was indeed an emergency for your brother to call and at such a late hour. Your brother never asks for anything, he no longer even calls me so I had to do this one thing. Jaime look at me. I've been here before, after your mother, I damned all the gods then as I damn them now. All you can do is let the doctors work." Tywin eased himself on the floor and put Jaime's head in his lap, allowing him to cry until his exhaustion won out and he finally fell into a fitful sleep. 

It had taken three days for Brienne to wake up, and Tywin and Olenna had already been in action getting her treatment at Harrenhal secure and then therapy on the Quiet Isles with Elder Brother. It hadn't undone the years of bitter resentment but Jaime was still grateful that his father had stepped in with the finesse that only the elder Lannister could wield. Selwyn, Jaime and Margaery had stayed by her side from Harrenhal to the Quiet Isles with Tyrion and Sansa coming as frequently as they could manage. With two vineyards to run it was harder for Tyrion but he'd hired Pod to give him more time to stay with Jaime. 

The vibrating phone startled Jaime from his reverie and he blinked at the phone. 

"Father?"

"Jaime. How is Miss Tarth?"

"Uh she's well, she's out on the kayaks just now." 

"Very good, I've had that idiot reporter relieved of his duties for the foreseeable future. I've fed Baelish something more enticing than you in exchange for his cooperation."

"Why?"

"She is to be a Lannister is she not?"

"If the gods be good."

"Well then my good daughter is not meant as evening fodder for the likes of Petyr Baelish, the man is the lowest of bottom feeders."

"Interesting, I was quite certain you were in my office with Cersei demanding I do something to stop this circus. What changed?"

"Don't be obtuse Jaime, you know I have certain affections for your Miss Tarth. I wanted you to stop the stories because they like to drag out Aerys dying on your watch with every opportunity. I'd rather that story go away before it even surfaces again. Olenna was distressed by the excessive coverage, I had to do something." 

"Oh does Olenna call you when she's distressed? How touching. I thought you preferred them younger and for a fee."

"Jaime," Tywin sighed info the phone. "Olenna is a long held friend." 

"That's what I said about Brienne too." Jaime laughed genuinely.

"I still have your mother's wedding rings Jaime, at Casterly Bank whenever you're ready."

"Hold those for Sansa father; they'd suit her much more than Brienne."

"Ned Stark's girl?"

"Yes, Tyrion is close. Closer than we are."

"I'll take that under advisement. How does the honorable judge Stark feel about this?"

"Everyone loves Tyrion except for you father. Three vineyards, a law firm and something else to do with financial advisers."

"Don't forget the tee shirts Jaime, we mustn't forget the bloody tee shirts. Olenna loves them dearly, she has two for bed." Realizing too late how much he'd revealed Tywin groaned.

"Ha! Oh father, you've made this a great day. Does Margaery know?"

"Gods no! Only Willas, he had the great fortune of catching one of my more stellar performances." 

"Father. Please no more. Time for a subject change old man. We'll be here for the Long Night, Peck will send anything I need directly here."

"Very well son. Take care."

Jaime smiled as he looked up to see Brienne finally securing the kayak, blue eyes bright and a look of contentment softening her face. She looked happy and Jaime felt more of his fear loosen the grip in his chest.

"You look entirely too pleased with yourself Lannister."

"You'll never guess who father is dating." 

"Your father? Dating? A person? I thought he hired them and gave them an income receipt for services rendered." Brienne japed.

"Wench," Jaime laughed as he grabbed her hand, "this is why I love you. It's Olenna"

"WHAT?" Brienne screeched. 

"Yes they are hot and heavy. Willas walked on them according to father. The poor man must be blind now."

"Gods, Tywin and Olenna, do they harangue each other as foreplay? The more scathing the better?"

"Speaking of fore play..."

"You're terrible, let's go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My version of Lorath is modeled after Daufuskie Island, SC. Only accessible by ferry and laid back. 
> 
> Tywin is also still Tywin but not as vicious.

**Author's Note:**

> This came to me this morning and I had to write it out. This is my first ever fanfic and I haven't even had a chance to proofread (which I will). For now this is probably a one shot ficlet. 
> 
> These lovely characters belong to George RR Martin not to me!


End file.
